HERE'S a fishy tale...a family enjoying the sight of a dolphin frolicking around their canoes was astonished when it suddenly grabbed a 10lb cod and dropped it in front of them.

After leaving the massive fish next to Lucy Watkins, 14, the dolphin nudged it towards her, she says. Lucy, out with her grandparents Mike and Nina, wondered whether they should take it in case the dolphin wanted the cod for himself.

But seconds later he resurfaced with his own fish, this time a seabass, and started eating it.

The family gratefully scooped up the cod before taking it home to nearby Combe Martin in Devon to cook for their tea.

Lucy said: "He definitely wanted me to have his fish. He first dropped it 20ft away but then pushed it to within 5ft of my kayak."

Nina, 52, added: "It was as if he was saying to Lucy, 'Don't worry, now I've got a fish to play with and so have you. This is mine for my tea, you have that one for yours. "He was just so playful and content to be around us. Lucy was dangling her fingers in the water and he seemed to be attracted by that.

It seemed rude to refuse him so we took the fish and had cod and chips

Nina Watkins

"If I hadn't seen it myself I'd never have believed it. My theory is that he was lonely and wanted human company. He was with us for about two hours. It seemed rude to refuse him so we took the fish and had cod and chips."

The dolphin, named Dave by the locals, is a regular sight off Combe Martin Bay. A spokesman for Whale and Dolphin Conservation said: "This is a very interesting account. We would just make our usual appeal for people to generally keep their distance.

"Dolphins can become distracted by humans, lose their awareness of nearby motor boats and sustain injuries."